Body-rest for musical instruments.



PATENTED MAYZQ, 19.06.

. J. W. HUGHES. BODY REST FUR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV..12.1904.

WITNESSES:

No. 821,803. PATENTED MAY 29, 1906; J. W. HUGHES.

BODY REST FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. APPLICATION FILED Nov.12,19o4.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES -der.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. HUGHES, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

BODY-REST FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1906.

Application filed November 12, 1904. Serial No. 232,472.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES W. HUGnEs, of Camden, county of Camden, and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Body-Rests for Musical Instruments, of which the following, is a specific'ation.

Much difliculty has been experienced by musicians in the use of chin and shoulder rests for violins. It is essential that such devices should enable the instrument to be held in proper position and with suflicient firmness and without discomfort caused by friction or undue pressure upon the chin or shoulshould be adaptable to different sizes of instruments and to the physical peculiarities of the musician.

It' is one of the objects of this invention to provide a shoulder-rest which may be combined with a chin-rest or may be made separately and which may be adjusted with reference to the chin-rest to suit the size and physical peculiarities of the musician.

My invention also includes improvements in the devices for applying the rest to the instrument and embraces other improvements and combinations of parts, which are fully set forth hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of applying the rest to a violin. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the rest clamped in place. Fig. 3 is an en arged view showing the chin-rest in vertical section and the shoulder-rest in side elevation. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the shoulder-rest and its adjusting devices, and

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan of the base-plate of the chin-rest.

The particular construction of the chinrest is not material to my invention; but for purposes of illustration I have shown the construction which I prefer.

a is the base-plate of the chin-rest, which is preferably of kidney shape and may be made of any suitable material. I have found aluminium excellently adapted for it. On one side of the under surface of the baseplate is a raised rib a, to which the bracketpiece I) is secured by the angular flange b. The lower face of the plate a at one end is offset, as at (1, to permit the plate when attached to the violin to extend over the tailpiece, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the body It is also essential that such rests.

of the plate a is an opening (1 through which the padding is inserted, and this opening is closed by a plate a, which may be secured by small screws 0.. The upper side of the plate a. is provided with a projecting rim 0. along the edge, and this rim is wider or higher on the outer side, as at a c is a pad of any suitable soft material, such as felt, laid along the inner side of the rim a d is a covering of silk or other suitable material, preferably composed of a top piece stitched at its edge to a strip of ribbon d, which is cemented or otherwise secured to the outer face of the rim a a e is a padding of swans down or other soft material filling the space between the covering (1 and the base-piece. This padding may be introduced through the opening a before the plate a is applied.

f is a second bracket member having at the lower end an angular flange f and is provided in the upper part with a longitudinal slot f f represents screws extending through the bracket member I) and the slot f 2 in the member f and engaging a washer f on the'inner side of the slot. By loosening the screws f 3 the bracket members I) and f may be moved longitudinally to lengthen or shorten the bracket or clamp, and when tightened the screws will hold the members in adjusted position. A friction-strip g, of sandpaper or other suitable material, may be placed between the two faces of the members f and b to impose frictional resistance and hold the parts more firmly.

h is a short curtain, of silk or other mate rial, secured to the inner face of the bracket memberf and extending over the ends of the screws f and their washer f to prevent injury to the violin.

i is a short rod secured at one end to the bracket and projecting laterally. This rod supports the adjustable shoulder-rest j,

which consists of a suitable pad having arms j, secured to a loose clutch-sleeve k on the rod 01, which engages a clutch-sleeve is, fast on the shaft. The two sleeves are held in ICC angle is obtained. When released, the sleeve is will be drawn into engagement with the sleeve is by the spring m, and the rest 7' will be locked in the position in which it has been placed.

To adjust the shoulder-rest longitudinally on the rod 6., to bring it closer to or farther from the line of the chin-restit is only necessary to loosen the screw n, which attaches the clutch-sleeve 7c, and move the two sleeves longitudinally on the rod and secure the sleeve is again when the desired adjustment has been made.

The rest is clamped'to the violin by the flanges b and f of the two bracket members I) and f,which may be faced with a strip 1) of cork or other suitable soft material. To enable these members to be easily clamped, I prefer to use the devices shown in Fig. 1.

0 is a clamp having its ends provided with angular flanges 0 0 the lower of which carries a set-screw 0 and the upper of which may be provided with a pad 0. The bracket members b and f are extended and placed in proper position on the edge of the violin to bring the portion a of the chin-rest over the tailpiece. The clamp 0 is then applied, as shown in Fig. 1, and the screw 0 is set to force thetwo flanges of the members I) and f upon the violin. The screws f 3 are then tightened (a slot 0 being provided in the clamp 0 to admit a screwdriver, as shown in Fig. 1) and the clamp 0 is detached. The

musician then adjusts the shoulder-rest to proper position in the manner described.

The ledge a on the outer side of the chin rest forms a firm hold for the chin, the point of which will rest on the soft cushion afforded by the padded top d, while the under side of the chin will rest upon the soft padding-strip 0. Both the cushion d and the paddingstrip 0, being soft, will adapt themselves to the conformation of the chin, while the ledge a being rigid, will insure a firm hold.

The offset a enables the chin-rest to be placed nearly in line with the strings, so that the instrument will be held in the proper position to secure the best execution.

r is a removable cap or cover, of cloth or other suitable material, which may be placed over the cushion d of the chin-rest to protect it from becoming soiled. This cover can be removed and washed.

I do not here claim the chin-rest shown 4 and described, as that forms the subject-matter of another application.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A combined chin and shoulder rest for musical instruments, consisting of a chinrest, a clamping device for securing said chinrest to the instrument and a shoulder-rest carried by said clamping device with provision for lateral adjustment with reference thereto to bring said shoulder-rest nearer to or farther from the line of the chin-rest.

2. The combination with a clamping de vice adapted to be secured to a musical instrument, of a shoulder-rest carried thereby and having provision for lateral adjustment with reference thereto.

3. The combination with a clamping device adapted to be secured to a musical instrument, of a shoulder-rest carried thereby and adjustable both angularly and laterally with reference thereto.

4. The combination of a clamping device adapted to be secured to a musical instrument, a. rod extending laterally therefrom, a sleeve carried by said rod and free to turn thereon, means to lock said sleeve in adjusted position, and a shoulder-rest carried by said sleeve.

5. The combination of a clamping device adapted to be secured to a musical instrument, a rod extending laterally therefrom, a clutch-sleeve carried by said rod and free to turn thereon, a second clutch-sleeve secured to said rod and adapted to engage said loose sleeve and lock it in adjusted position, and a shoulder-rest carried by said loose clutchsleeve.

6. The combination of a clamping device adapted to be secured to a musical instrument, a rod extending laterally therefrom, a clutch-sleeve carried by said rod and free to turn thereon, a second clutch-sleeve secured to said rod and adapted to engage said loose sleeve and lock it in adjusted position, a

spring between said clutch-sleeves, and a shoulder-rest carried by said loose clutchsleeve.

In testimony of which invention I here unto set my hand.

JAMES W. HUGHES. Witnesses:

EDwD. H. HAURER, IsAAc SELIGMAN.

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